Five Times Manny Hugged Diego and One Time He Didn't
by DiegoRedeemedLover
Summary: Because this archive is sorely in need of more Manny and Diego brotherly bonding fluff. I might possibly do another one of these from Diego's perspective. Posted as chapters since these ficlets are longer than I anticipated them being. Also several of them are in the 'verse of my CI series, fragments that bridge Lacrimosa and the first CI novel. A "five and one" fic.
1. Vignette One - Aftermath

**A/N: This takes place the first night of travel after the group has returned Pinky in the Original film, and Diego is struggling with his injuries.**

 **Manny tries to help the best he can and ends up snuggling with Diego.**

 **(Most of these start out as drabble-y things that gradually get muuuch longer.)**

 **This is a Five and One fic, but I separated them into chapters since they got MUCH too long to be condensed into one single story to upload. Go figure. ;P**

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The strange little herd found a cave for the night after giving the baby back to his father. Manny had ensured that their travel was slow, since Diego kept limping heavily. He collapsed in the snow several times, something that worried Manny, but the tiger refused his offers to help.

That night, snug in their cave, Manny knew he had to do something. He had to let Diego know how much he... _appreciated_... the sabre's sacrifice for him.

The mammoth glanced over at the sabre, noting the pensive expression in his eyes as he stared into the fire. Diego had just sacrificed his entire way of living, Manny thought. I wish I could find some way to let him know that he's okay... that he's safe with us.

The two long red lines – the still-fresh wounds from Soto's assault on him – shone in the light of the fire.

Manny watched with concern when Diego stumbled. The tiger's motions faltered with every step. Manny grimaced, wondering if Diego had internal injuries from when Soto had thrown him against that rock. He worried that Diego had broken some of his ribs. But the only clue Diego gave about his injuries was the way he clenched his teeth in his attempts to rise or walk.

The mammoth glanced over at the sloth. Sid was already asleep, completely oblivious to any concerns about the sabre. Manny envied the sloth's naivety. He was too overjoyed that their friend was alive to appreciate the possibility that his wounds were still fatal.

Diego exhaled a small sigh and then rose to his feet, his movements shaky. Manny, without thinking, reached out his trunk to steady him. Diego glanced over at him and then sank down beside him, the barest of smiles on his face.

"Thanks," Manny said, breaking the silence wrapped around them. "You didn't have to do that, Diego."

Diego shook his head,

"You taught me a better way of living… with your actions," he said. His eyes clouded with pain. "I've… lost… everything, and now there's certain to be a price on my head, but I had to do it. I couldn't let your sacrifice go unpaid."

Manny couldn't find any words to respond, so instead he nodded his head gravely. He noticed that Diego looked tired, and the sabre's head was dropping with weariness that he kept trying to shake off. The sabre leaned against Manny. His head rested on one of Manny's massive forelegs, his breathing growing gentle and relaxed. Manny realised that he'd fallen asleep.

Manny placed his trunk over Diego's shoulders, drawing the sabre closer to him in a brief embrace.

"You're my brother now," he whispered.

 _We're all brothers now… and it's all thanks to that little baby._

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 **Fin**

 **Review?**


	2. Vignette Two - Brothers

**Vignette Two of my Five Times Manny Hugged Diego series!**

 **This one takes place right around the Meltdown, after the scene where Manny and Diego have taken over the kid's camp from Sid and Manny's told the kids the story about the burro looking for his family. This was also a chance to explore how the other animals view the strange relationship of Manny and Diego (and Sid) since naturally everyone would think it incredibly odd how a mammoth, a tiger, and a sloth seem to regard each other as brothers.**

 **xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

 **Special thanks to all who reviewed so far! Chronicle1500, I hope you continue to enjoy these stories! IceAge mutant, thank you for reviewing anonymously even though you have an account! Smiles1200, I'm happy this merited an "Aww" from you!  
**

 **To the guest, thank you for the suggestion but I'm gonna keep the relationship tag for two reasons: 1) there isn't enough Mango focus in general, and friendship is still a relationship, and one that needs more focus and for another, I'm hoping that using the relationship tag for them will cause more people to explore the pairing more themselves, romantically or bromantically.**

 **I just wish they would do it, Mango has been neglected in favour of the utter nonsensical and senseless pairing of Siego for so long and 2) I've given enough hints in these stories that one can spin it to a somewhat slashy angle if they so prefer. To goldenpuon, welcome back! Thank you for the review, and your comment is so true, there aren't enough stories to focus on this deep and complex friendship and I wish we'd see more of them. Thank you for calling the previous chapter sweet and touching, I'm glad it came across that way. :)  
**

 **Enjoy the next chapter everyone!**

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 _Curse Diego and his sensitivity,_ Manny groaned to himself inwardly. The tiger could always sense when he was upset, even when Manny was trying to hide it. Manny glowered; attempting to turn away from Diego in an effort to ignore his friend's concerned questions.

Their conversation had been interrupted when a tapir and few other creatures had run past explaining that Fast Tony was announcing the end of the world. Manny knew that eventually he'd have to go to the armadillo's favourite spot in the valley to threaten him with being mauled, but at the moment he felt no desire to move in that direction.

 _I should have never told that story._ Manny's face bunched together as he tried not to cry, although he knew Diego would notice. The sabre always noticed, even if he didn't say anything. Sometimes Manny found that was the most comforting thing about Diego: his _presence._ The tiger didn't even need to say anything at times, and often that was what Manny needed, just to know that someone understood.

"Manny," Diego's voice said, tearing Manny away from his self-hateful, angry musings and the mammoth couldn't tell if he was glad for the interruption or not. He decided that he wasn't. "Listen-" _Why does he always have to read my mind?!_

"Shut up, Diego!" Manny exploded, thinking it was time to drill into the tiger that he was confident that he'd never find _his_ family, the family of his heart, they were gone now and he still believed it was his fault, and that Diego's condolences didn't soothe his wild heart. "The story's over, okay? It's over! My family's gone; I'll never find them again like that little burro did…" His words trailed off and he realised he was struggling to hold back his tears of rage and loneliness.

Diego looked hurt momentarily before brushing the expression away.

"I know," he said, scuffing at the ground with one paw, his gaze fixated on Manny. Manny thought he saw tears glinting in the tiger's green eyes but then told himself it was only a trick of the light. "Manny, I'm sorry," Diego went on. "I know how you feel… I've lost everyone too..." Diego heaved a sigh, and then glanced up at Manny.

"You told me that," Manny grumbled, his mind flitting with images of his pretty mate and their young son. The pain of seemingly having them here, standing before him, smiling broadly, cut to his heart. He gasped quietly before he blinked hard. He turned away from Diego, trying to remember that he had a duty to the denizens of the valley, that he had to go confront Fast Tony, but his grief was overwhelming him.

"Manny," Diego said, and the mammoth felt a large paw settle on his foreleg. "Listen…" The sabre inhaled a deep breath, looking Manny sternly in the eye. His attitude suggested that he brooked no interruptions. "You're still hurting, and I can see that – and don't worry, I'll knock some sense into Sid for you – but I just want to say..." Diego paused, his expression somewhat embarrassed or troubled, Manny couldn't really determine which. "That you're my brother now and I'll always be here for you." Diego's words emerged in a rush.

Manny raised his eyebrows at the tiger's statement, his mouth opening in a slight chuckle. It was kind of ludicrous to think about, a tiger telling a mammoth that they were brothers, but at the moment the ridiculousness of it all was what he needed. He finally smiled, a long, small, still somewhat sad smile, and saw Diego's face brighten slowly.

He grabbed Diego with his trunk around his neck, hugging him tightly, feeling supremely glad that the tiger was there, ignoring all of Diego's protestations against such treatment.

"Manny, stop," Diego pleaded.

"You'll be hugging me one day, I'll bet on that," Manny retorted.

At that moment, with Diego still ensnared in his spontaneous embrace, one of the children who'd happened to be at their storytelling session wandered by, a little beaver.

Manny recognised her as the bright _(annoying)_ girl called Ashley.

 _Oh no._

She grinned in wonderment before dragging her mother over.

"Mama, look at the two brothers hugging each other!" she exclaimed. "And they're not even the same species!"

Mrs Beaver glared at Manny and Diego, who smiled back at her, not even hiding their embarrassment.

"Well, I never!" she cried, taking her daughter's hand. "Come away from such a sight, Ashley, it's unseemly. A tiger and mammoth _– brothers –_ what are you talking about."

"But it's true, Mama. The tiger didn't like us hurting his brother so he scared us away from him..."

Diego extricated himself from Manny with a glower.

"In case you don't remember, Manfred," he said, "I am lord of 'Touch me and you're dead.'"

"Then why am I not dead?" Manny teased him, punching him gently on the shoulder. "And it's too late, the whole valley probably knows now. That we're brothers."

"Hasn't that always been obvious?"

"What else would you call our herd?" Manny replied. "We're nothing else, if not brothers. Including Sid. Though he's the younger, always-have-to-keep-out-of-trouble brother."

Diego chuckled,  
"Darn right. Speakin of that, where is Sid?"

"He's probably fine," Manny said, his tone dismissive. "We'll look for him after we see to Fast Tony and his unwarranted predictions."

"Two brothers working together to fight crime," Diego mused. He caught Manny's eye. "I like it."

"Yeah, me too," Manny agreed. "You're a good brother, Diego."

Diego smiled, punching at Manny's foreleg.

"Well, _you_ started it."

"Okay, time to focus!" Manny said. "First Fast Tony, and then Sid."

"Right behind you, partner."

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 **FIN**

 **Review?**


	3. Vignette Three - Family Circle

**Summary:**

 **Third vignette in a series of vignettes I'm doing exploring Manny and Diego's relationship through the _vein of physical affection_.**  
 **My guess is that this takes place maybe five years after DoTD, give or take? and this takes place in the CI-verse Anyway, enjoy the story! :D**

 **and please don't forget to leave me some feedback in a comment! Btw, thanks for all the alerts/faves! Feedback would be loved though ;) :)  
**

 **Notes:**

 **Based off the Ice Age mini-comic book Playing Favourites, which another Ice Age fan graciously uploaded to Tumblr so that I could read it. It's so adorably sweet! and it only resulted in me thinking that my headcanons about Diego and Peaches having a close relationship are valid. I would post the links but this site hates them so much so if you can find a copy of this little comic book online I encourage you to read it! It's adorable. And has a lot of platonic Diego/Peaches feels.  
**

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 **Vignette** **Three**

It was the day after Manny's successful anniversary dinner with Ellie. He couldn't help but notice how much his daughter was smiling at Diego with a grateful expression. She also kept trailing after him wherever he went as well. He even heard Diego telling her to keep her footsteps quiet so that she wouldn't scare his prey away. Peaches nodded at him as she quickly obeyed. He noticed that his possum in-laws were still teaching her the basics of hanging in tree and other acrobatic stunts. Peaches looked bored during their training though. He saw what held her interest the most was Diego's mysteries.

Sid and the possums continued about their daily lives, but were oblivious to the change between Diego and Peaches.

Manny thought that it seemed likely that Peaches believed that all of her uncles were her favourite in her own childish way.

But her actions betrayed that she had, somewhat unconsciously, chosen one who was her favourite.

To Manny, her choice seemed the most likely and also the most unexpected at the same time. He wondered if his own especial attachment to Diego had fostered a bond within his own child for the tiger.

Finally, Manny's curiosity got the better of him when he saw Peaches trailing after Diego _again_ for the sixth time that day.

"So, what happened last night whilst I was away with your mother?" he said, addressing Peaches, who stopped short. She looked surprised at his question as Diego strolled up next to her, his face serious. Manny heard rustling nearby in the bushes. He guessed that Sid and his brother-in-laws were eavesdropping on the conversation.

"Um, we helped too," Sid and the possums chorused in unison, poking their heads out of the leaves. "It wasn't just Diego…"

Manny shot a glare at them as they vanished back underneath the brush before turning his focus to Peaches.

"I got stuck under a fallen tree branch and Diego saved me!" Peaches announced, grinning. "Sid and Crash and Eddie helped too, but it was Diego who got me out with the help of the two shovel-mouth sisters. When I was free I was so happy to be out that I tackled Uncle Diego into a hug right away," she explained as Diego sent him a nervous smile. Peaches added, almost irrelevantly, "All of my uncles are my favourite."

"Is that so?" Manny replied. He decided that Peaches didn't yet realise she'd made her choice in favourites.

"Yes," Peaches said, her voice happy. "I had a lot of fun with them, Daddy. Except for the getting stuck part, but Uncle Diego came to my rescue!"

"Peaches!" Manny heard Ellie's voice calling. Manny rolled his eyes. He presumed that his mate had discovered her own worries about last night and was going to interrogate Peaches about it. He hoped that she'd at least be gentle with her. He began asking himself if Ellie had noticed Peaches' slight change in behaviour around the tiger as well.

"Aww, I gotta go, Mama's calling me," Peaches whined. She waved at Manny and Diego with her trunk. "Bye, Daddy. Bye, Uncle Diego!"

Manny watched as Peaches threw herself in Diego's direction as the cat rose up on his haunches to meet her. Peaches leaned against him for a small moment as Diego clasped her to him, pure love shining on their faces.

Diego remembered at the last minute that he was a hardcore, ferocious sabre, relinquishing his hold on Peaches.

"Peaches!" Ellie called again, her voice sounding irritated.

"Coming, Mama!" Peaches said, turning to give Diego and Manny one last smile before dashing off.

Diego began to pad away from Manny, but Manny cleared his throat, making Diego glance back at him. The mammoth strode forward a few paces until he was even with the tiger, who granted him a small smile.

"Hey," Manny said just as Diego was about to walk forward. "Thanks for keeping my kid safe, Diego."

"It was nothing," Diego said, shrugging. "Sure, the shovel-mouths thought at first I was going to eat them but when they learned what happened they were glad to help. Let's just be glad Ellie had everyone watch Peaches; we were all able to help her... even if it was kind of a mess."

"Still, it sounds like to me that _you_ put in the biggest effort, Diego," Manny went on. "Peaches went to you first to give you a hug."

Diego's fur looked red.

"Ha, so you think she really likes me, huh?"

"Well, her dad does," Manny said quietly. "When I said that you were my favourite… or well, the one I like best… years ago when Sid asked that question after we'd survived the flood. Look, I meant it. I haven't forgotten it either."

Diego's expression turned thoughtful.

"I haven't, either," he admitted. He looked up into Manny's eyes, smiling. Manny caught a glimpse of the dull red scars that stood out against the lustre of his fur, which was never as heavy as the rest of his own coat. Manny often found himself looking at them, noting how hidden in a way they were to the rest of the world, but all too obvious to him. To Manny, they were constant reminders of Diego's sacrifice, and the sacrifices he daily had to make just living in the herd.

Manny's eyes teared up at the memory. He extended his trunk, wrapping it around Diego's shoulders, drawing the tiger close to him. He ignored Diego's protestations again, for the second time in their lives.

"Manny, what are you doing… this isn't… what guys do. We don't hug, we punch each other," Diego grumbled. One glance at Manny's eyes made his words dribble away into nothingness. Diego cleared his throat, still uncomfortable with this unusual and overt display of affection.

"Diego," Manny said, releasing him from his embrace as Diego grimaced in relief. He still had his reputation to live up to, after all. "I'm glad you're my brother."

At his words, Diego's face lit up, and there was nothing more that needed said.

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**


	4. Vignette Four - Nightmare

**Takes place after the herd has returned from the land of dinosaurs in DoTD. Peaches is a week old in this.**

 **It also ties into my CI-verse, which begins here with CI: Lacrimosa - s/7024189/1/Cruel-Intentions-Lacrimosa (which I am working so hard to finally get updated).  
**

 **Manny and Diego and Peaches fluff, since that is my favourite circle of relationships to write about in Ice Age verse.**

 **also a bit of Mango (Manny/Diego) bromanticy flangst since I just loooove piling the angst on Manny and what better movie to do it in than DotD? :P**

 **(and, if you favourite, please, please send me some feedback in a comment! Feedback is my life's blood as a writer!)**

 **Many thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapter and I hope you enjoy this one Cahaya Sidur! The CD one is coming up ;) And thank you so mcuh for the L review! :D  
**

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Flurried images danced around in Manny's mind as he slept. He saw his family with their backs to the wall as humans closed in on them. He heard their last cries as spears pierced their side and rocks pummeled them from above. He saw the face of the human man-child smiling up at him even as Manny tried to not return a similar gesture. He watched, his eyes wide with horror, as Soto slammed Diego against a boulder. The impact knocked Diego out as he collapsed onto the ground into the snow beside it. He saw Diego leap in front of him as Soto advanced upon him, intercepting the fatal blow. He saw Diego collapse, blood trickling from his side, as a baby's scream cut through the air.

He saw Diego lying so still it nearly made his heart stop, and with it came the cruel realisation that he was _dead_.

Sounds of laughter awoke Manny. He blinked, shuddering as wet droplets of sweat slid off his fur, and keyed his ears to detect the voices making the laughter. He heard the gravelly chuckle of the tiger and the squeaky giggle of his daughter Peaches, beginning to wonder if they were playing together.

Manny sighed, remembering how Peaches had been born in the World Beneath, the land of the dinosaurs. He knew that he still hadn't heard the full story from Ellie and Diego about Peaches' birthing. It still made him a little melancholy that he'd missed the birth of his daughter, since he was off protecting her mother at the time. It soothed his heart that his best friend had been there for them.

 _Diego's always been there for me,_ Manny thought, the edges of a smile beginning to turn up the sides of his mouth. _He always has. I can't imagine life without him,_ and as the images of the dream resurfaced in his memory again, Manny shuddered.

Despite their safe return from the land of the dinosaurs, he still hadn't devoted any time to actually comprehending the perils they'd undergone there. Ellie had led the search for the sloth, who both he and Diego thought of as a little brother, though Manny had been reluctant to come.

That journey had been a whirlwind of emotions for him, and during it, he didn't have any time to properly process them at all. Now, there were amends he still needed to give – to the one he regarded as his best friend within the herd.

It still amazed him how Diego had forgiven him, after his downright callous treatment of him. (Sid was another matter.) Diego had accepted his invitation to rejoin the herd, which brought him great relief. He'd accepted him despite his failure as a friend. He still wanted to continue their friendship. Manny found himself feeling so grateful once again for his sabre friend.

Manny knew the perils that they'd gone through. One wrong move and he could have lost someone in his herd. Someone that he cherished, someone that was like a brother of his, from another mother.

His mind wended its way back to Diego's insistence about protecting Ellie and the baby. What if something horrible had happened to Diego when he was defending them? The thought was almost too frightening to contemplate.

Manny grimaced. He remembered how his actions towards Diego had caused the tiger to believe that he'd be better off without the herd. Only just now Manny understood why Diego was so hurt, and he cursed himself for taking so long to see.

 _I was putting Ellie and Peaches' safety over making my friend feel wanted,_ Manny groaned. _Diego probably read my mind and decided that I didn't value him anymore. We made up after the return from the dinosaur land, but –_

Manny rose to his feet, his gaze sweeping the perimeter of the camp, and it fell upon two figures. One was, as he'd guessed, the tiger, and the other was the little russet-coloured calf who'd been born recently. Peaches wasn't even a week old but still she was already bright and attentive. She often found ways of sandwiching herself in between Manny and Diego when they decided to stroll through the valley together like was their custom.

Ellie was even saying jokingly (out of earshot of Diego) that another case of imprinting seemed imminent. Peaches had, it seemed, imprinted on Diego like Ellie had with her possum mother.

Manny had shrugged her words off, believing that his daughter would be smart enough to know who her _real_ father was.

Ellie would then counter that Diego was there at her birth and that Peaches most likely saw him and Manny at the same time when they'd looked over at her. So it was probable that Peaches identified Manny as her biological father and the tiger as her uncle-yet-it-was-possible-the-bond-was-deeper-than-that, Ellie suggested.

Manny would roll his eyes and warn Ellie not to let Diego hear, given how upset he'd been when Manny was becoming so excited to be a father again. Ellie's only response was to shoot him a glower, not even having to say anything. Manny could never be sure whether he liked how both his mate _and_ his best friend could make him want to swallow his words with one look.

Manny tore his thoughts away from his memories and refocused on Diego and Peaches. Diego seemed to be intent on hunting, but when Manny looked closer he noticed that it was only pretend. Diego was apparently teaching Peaches how to keep close to the ground in the manner of stalking. Manny noticed that his paw was on her back, guiding her.

Peaches was throwing herself into the lesson for one so small. Diego was watching her, pride gleaming in his green eyes. Manny recalled how he'd misjudged Diego when it came to the matter of his child, forcing him to leave. He realised now why he had left: Diego hadn't felt wanted or a critical part of the herd anymore. Manny had given Diego the impression that he didn't _need_ him, and it had _hurt_ him.

Regret swept over him once again as considered how the tiger had risked his life to ensure the safety of his mate and child. He'd never once given thought that Diego could've _died_ , if something had gone wrong, while he was protecting them. Guilt washed over him anew.

"Manny!" Diego's voice hailing him forced him away from his contemplations. The tiger was wearing his typical lopsided smile as he looked up at him.

 _So much for not built for chaperoning playdates, eh, Diego?_

Diego sat back on his haunches, his large paws encircling Peaches as he lifted the baby up towards Manny proudly as the calf giggled. "Heh, Peaches and I have been playing 'Where's the Baby.' And I've been teaching her some hunting tricks," the tiger explained with an embarrassed chuckle. "We've been having lots of fun."

Manny extended his trunk, reaching out to grab Peaches in it, exchanging a smile with the tiger,

"So I noticed," he said by way of reply.

Diego ducked his head, not looking at him as Manny fumbled for the right words to say.

He knew that he'd already said them in part upon their return, and that Diego had accepted the apology. But it only seemed right to say something more to this most strange individual _– a sabre_ – who he regarded as a brother in all but blood.

Diego turned away, and Manny's heart thudded when his gaze fell upon the streaks of red visible against the warm tawny colour of Diego's fur. His mind flashed back to the awful dream he'd had. _No,_ he thought, _it was blood that made us brothers._

It took him a moment to realise he was wincing. Dream-memories of seeing lurid red flowers in the snow after Diego had collapsed in front of him during the battle swept through his head.

His facial expression settled into a frown when, of course, Diego noticed his discomfiture. Diego arched an eyebrow at him, his eyes alive with a question. _Are you okay?_

Manny placed his daughter on his back, watching out of the corner of his eye as she cooed at the tiger whilst he did so.

Manny found his frown becoming a grin as he looked at Peaches, and he saw Diego visibly relax, but the tiger still looked concerned for him.

At the last moment Manny remembered why he was here.

"Diego, I never told you thank you…" he began, but Diego cut him off.

"For what, Manny? And honestly, you don't need to."

"For keeping Ellie and my baby safe," Manny said quietly, holding Diego's gaze. "I mean, you didn't even have to do that, after the way I'd treated you by ignoring you. I was a real jerk. I didn't even notice you were upset until Ellie pointed it out to me. I focussed on my family so much that I didn't see how I was hurting my brothers…"

Diego shrugged,

"Nah, it's okay, Manny. It was perfectly understandable. You had every right to worry. You didn't want the past to repeat itself. I knew that."

"And yet you still left," Manny countered. _And I was too foolish at the time to realise how much I needed you._

Diego let out a sigh.

"I left because it seemed as if our herd was falling apart," Diego murmured. "And I mean _our herd_ , you and me and Sid, since when you found Ellie there was no one else in the world but you two and that's understandable. But, then, you didn't seem to want to do anything with me, and I blamed myself that I'd done something wrong." He stared into Manny's eyes, his expression solemn. "Or that, maybe, you didn't want a sabre around your kid. So I decided the gentlest thing to do was bow out before either of us got hurt in the fallout."

The sabre raised his head to look at Manny, and he couldn't help noticing the hurt in his eyes. In a moment Diego swept the expression away, his face brightening.

"But then Sid got himself in trouble and it was you and me again, doing stuff together. I hadn't realised how much I'd missed that. And when Ellie needed help and I was the only one who could protect her, I saw that you still needed me at your side."

Manny's eyes grew moist as he listened to the sabre talk. Diego was usually reticent, so the fact that he was being so open with him gladdened Manny's heart. Guilt and shame battled within him, it cut him how much he'd ignored Diego's insecurities during that time. It only felt right to say something more to the tiger to apologise.

"I, just… well, I'm sorry," Manny said, trying to ignore how hoarse his voice sounded. He placed his trunk around Diego's shoulders, pulling him close. "I've been a lousy friend and an even lousier brother."

Manny heard Diego purring, and only then realised that the tiger was actually accepting his hug.

"It's okay, Manny," he heard Diego saying, "not everyone can be perfect all the time. And you're a good brother. Honest."

Manny knew that Diego was saying in his own quiet way that he forgave him, so he pulled the sabre in closer. Too close, he noticed when Diego's face began to rub up against his tusks so he finally let the tiger go. He exchanged an awkward glance with him, hoping no one else was around to see.

Just then, Sid emerged from the bushes, stuffing his mouth full of luscious berries.

"Thlo, what wath that all about?"

Manny and Diego groaned. They looked away from each other, avoiding answering the question as Peaches cooed at them both.

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	5. Vignette Five - Memories

**During a lull in their adventure on the high seas, Manny and Diego chat a little and remember their first journey that brought them together.**

 **My thanks to all those who have alerted and faved and reviewed on this story! To TMNTGFKittySidekick01 and Cahaya Sidur, thank you so much for your reviews! Cahaya, I hope you like this one!**

 **Also, to my readers, the final part of this "five and one" ficlet series is 8k words, so I'm considering posting a preview of it as chapter six to complete this story but then post the "And One Time He Didn't" as a separate connected story. How does that sound? Because "Tiger's Heart" the last ficlet of this series, is long enough that it deserves to be sort of a standalone, especially because it leads into my fic Cruel Intentions: Lacrimosa (which you can find on my profile).**

 **Enjoy!**

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 **Vignette Five  
**

Stars glittered in the sky above as Manny raised his head to look up at them. He imagined that he saw the faces of his lovely mate and child etched in the designs of the constellations. The loneliness he felt because of his separation from Ellie and Peaches was almost unbearable. Even worse, it brought back keen memories of the time he failed his first family. He winced as he saw the air grew thick with arrows... heard the anguish in Catherine's scream as she held their son close to her. _What if I'm not able to get back to Ellie and Peaches in time?_ Manny worried.

He glanced over his shoulder from where he was lying on the edge of the ice floe, and saw Sid trailing his paw in the water. The sloth's expression was pensive. Manny wondered if Sid was still concerned about the whereabouts of his granny.

His gaze shifted over to the sabre. He saw Diego glancing at him before quickly looking away. Manny noticed that the sabre clearly looked anxious – for him. Diego snuck another glance his way, and when Manny met his gaze, he gave a small nod of assent.

The sabre rose to his feet, loping over to him in a slow, fluid movement before settling down next to him. Diego had seen Manny was searching the stars, and so he looked up at them as well as a companionable silence crept between the two friends.

Diego crossed his forelegs and then placed his head on top of them, and then glanced up at Manny. The mammoth caught the hint of sadness glistening in his green eyes. He knew Diego well enough not to remark on it; the tiger would open up to him in time.

Finally, as he was expecting, Diego broke the silence.

"I hope Peaches and Ellie are okay," he said, his eyes troubled. He sought Manny's eyes. "I know you're worried about them, but I am too... Peaches is closer than a niece to me and I want her safe."

Manny found a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Diego's next words surprised him.

"I'm sorry I pushed you away from the edge," he murmured. "I want Peaches and Ellie safe as much as you do, but ah..." Diego hesitated.

"You've got my back?" Manny answered, placing his trunk around Diego's shoulders. Diego smiled at him, and then ducked his head away.

Diego changed the subject.

"I wonder how Pinky is," he said, his expression thoughtful. "We haven't seen any humans since we went south and found the valley."

It had been years since Manny had given thought to the child whom they'd saved.

Sid sometimes dared to try and claim credit for creating the herd. Manny found this secretly annoying, but never spoke to Sid about it, but Sid was _wrong_. Manny knew it was the three's bonding under the tutelage of a child that had brought them together. The only part Sid had really played in their becoming a herd was his insistence to Manny that they return him, _but that was it_. The sloth hadn't even helped that much with holding the kid during the majority of their journey, Manny remembered with a rueful smile.

Manny still had the necklace that the baby's father, the chief, had given to him. It was a part of his fur now, since he'd asked Sid on the journey to the South to tie it into the fur on his back so that he'd never lose it. The sloth had obliged. Manny toyed with the necklace, rubbing the figurine of the child as he mused.

"He's likely a hunter by now," Manny grumbled, although he really just wanted to sigh. He hadn't realised how much he missed the little tyke.

"You never know," came Diego's reply, with a bit of a chuckle in it.

"And he's likely man-grown, too," Manny went on, no longer trying to mask his fear with his annoyance.

Diego rolled his eyes at him. Manny could see their eerie gold by the light of the moon.

"Manny, I don't think he's forgotten about us," he insisted. His mouth slid apart in a mischievous grin. "After all, I seem to recall you telling me that you'd heard Sid say to him _not_ to forget us."

"Still, I dunno..." Manny muttered. His eyes widened. "What if he comes across Peaches one day, when she's with that little wiener-"

"Louis?" Diego interjected. Manny raised an eyebrow at him, wondering how he knew the molehog's name. Diego chuckled,

"I keep a better eye on Peaches than your brother-in-laws do," he confirmed. "Peaches and her little friend never see me stalking them and making sure that they keep out of trouble."

"Okay," Manny said, feeling relieved. If he was honest with himself, he never trusted Crash and Eddie with the care of his daughter. Ellie's adoptive brothers or no, they were too flighty to ensure her safety. He often found himself arguing with Ellie about it, but his mate always won. "But still, what if he comes across Peaches and Wiener one day…"

Diego laughed again,

"In that case, I'll be around to protect them, like I've always been. Don't sweat it, Manny. I've got your back."

The tiger's words warmed Manny's heart. It reminded him of the old days when they were travelling together to return a lost human boy. He smiled at the memory of their misadventures on the way to the South, which had only intensified the strength of their bond. He wrapped his trunk around Diego's shoulders, pulling him close to him in a tight hug. He saw Diego's incisors glint in the moonlight as the sabre allowed himself a small smile.

"Diego, you're the best brother I ever had," he said. "Thank you."

Diego shrugged off his trunk, but for once didn't look embarrassed by Manny's display of affection.

"No, you're the brother I never had that I always wanted," Diego murmured. "Thank _you_ , Manny."

His words brought another smile to the mammoth's broad face.

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	6. Vignette 6 i'm barely holdin (on to you)

**This is a bonus ficlet I wrote because of my Five Times Manny Hugged Diego series. This is one moment that I have always thought would've happened; Manny insisting they stay with Diego until dawn came, and lighting in the film seems to suggest it and because it's my own _personal_ headcanon. Writing this made me cry! If it makes you cry as well I have no regrets. Also, much thanks to cahaya sidur for her review on the last chapter! **

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"You didn't have to do that," Manny said. He found himself wishing, as he uttered the words, that they could somehow undo Diego's actions that had led to his sacrifice for him.

"That's what you do in a herd," Diego murmured, managing a small smile – for Manny.

He stared into Manny's eyes as his head slipped onto the pillow of snow underneath him. His eyes fell shut.

The words echoed through Manny's mind as he smiled back, his eyes full of unshed tears. Diego's smile had been genuine despite his pain. Manny knew that Diego's smile was his attempt to tell Manny not to worry about him, that he'd be okay. He knew it was a lie.

The baby reached out towards Diego, beginning to cry. Manny wrapped his trunk around the child, pulling him close. The tiger lay still on the ground, unconscious again.

The wind whistling was the only thing Manny heard as he stared down at Diego. The tiger's breathing was so shallow that it scared him. The only thing that brought him any relief was seeing the slight rise and fall of Diego's chest.

Pinky whimpered from within his trunk, his gaze fastened on the tiger. Manny's eyes welled with tears that he strove to blink away as they fell and froze on his cheek.

For a moment, he wasn't even able to express what he was feeling. The realisation hit him that he was just _numb_. Seeing Diego collapse in front of him brought back the horror of seeing the spears fly into the hearts of his mate and child all over again.

He blinked hard. Memories swirled in the snow of his return to his family, placing his trunk over the bodies of his mate and child. He recalled the feeling of seeing their life ebb away… and that had been only a few weeks before… now he was experiencing the same pain again.

Tears filled his eyes. He hadn't realised how much Diego meant to him – until this moment.

 _This wasn't part of the plan,_ an icy corner of his mind whispered as he stared down at the tiger. He noted the flecks of red providing a lurid contrast to the purity of snow on the ground. _This wasn't part of the plan!_

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sid begin to move away in the direction towards the opening that led out of Half Peak.

"Come on, Manny," Sid said in hoarse, teary voice. "We've gotta go… it's what Diego would've wanted."

Hearing Sid's words brought on a new wave of emotion for Manny. Long icy fingers of grief encircled him, trapping him in an embrace he couldn't escape from as the denial began to settle in.

 _Too late, too late,_ the words swirled around in his head like so many freezing snowflakes biting deep into his fur. He felt cold despite the thickness of his coat. _Too late, too late, and because of that you lost your family – and now – and now - your friend._

Manny shook his head, his gaze landing on Diego's still form again. The only thing stirring on him was the wind as it bristled through his stiff fur. He was so still that it looked like death had visited him. Manny refused to believe it. _This can't be happening… he's my friend… this wasn't part of the plan._

"No," he told Sid. "We're not leaving. Not yet."

He placed the baby on the small part of his neck. After a moment, he extended his trunk to touch Diego's chest. He frowned as he noticed the blood pooling underneath the tiger.

His mind shot back as he watched Diego fall to the ground, time slowing down for both him and the tiger. Rooted to the ground, he stood, wide-eyed.

He saw Soto's incisors rake across Diego's upper body and abdomen. He gasped under his breath, completely unable to intervene in that horrible moment. He stared, eyes wide with disbelief, as the tiger took the blow meant for him.

He hoped that his injuries weren't too deep, but how could he know? The tiger was lying in such a way as to conceal them.

Manny had seen that from the moment he'd glanced his direction once the battle was over. It worried him upon reflection. It was almost as if Diego didn't want him or Sid to know the gravity of his wounds.

Manny winced. He saw again, vividly, in his mind Soto slamming Diego against that boulder, Diego's head striking against the rock with sickening clarity. Diego slumping to the ground upon impact, insensible to the world.

Manny hadn't even thought to consider that Diego might have serious internal injuries killing him inside. He'd been too focussed on the blood drenching the sabre's fur underneath his side to notice.

Manny's trunk trailed down Diego's chest, noting how the tiger was still warm. His body's warmth was seeping from him fast. The snow beginning to fly above their heads in flurries was not helping his situation.

Manny took a deep breath before glancing over at Pinky and Sid. Pinky cooed at him. Sid's expression was baffled misery.

Manny walked around to the back of where Diego lay. He lowered himself to the ground next to him. He used his trunk to pull Diego up alongside him, almost cradling the tiger in a brief hug as he sought to provide him more warmth. After a moment his grip on Diego slackened. The tiger slumped onto the snow again.

Manny edged his foreleg out underneath Diego's head, trying to cradle Diego closer to him with his trunk. He hoped that his warmth would transfer to the tiger, who he noticed was becoming colder every minute.

Pinky realised what he wanted to do. Manny felt the baby climb his way down his fur, gritting his teeth when the baby pulled his fur for a handhold.

Once he was down, Pinky slipped, sliding onto Diego's chest, earning a dark glare from Manny. The baby understood his mistake. His dark eyes asked forgiveness.

He reached out to wrap his arms around Diego. He situated himself on the tiger's shoulders, a little below Manny's trunk. The baby's eyes were misty with tears.

He gurgled sadly as he looked down at the tiger. He placed his hands over his eyes and then lifted them, crooning at Diego. When the tiger remained unresponsive, Pinky's flow of tears began afresh. He tightened his embrace around Diego's shoulders, sobbing. The sight made Manny's heart break.

Sid trudged over at last. He chose to encircle his arms around Diego's sides. The tiger remained motionless. His breathing grew so shallow that it wasn't audible. Fear gripped Manny's heart.

"Will Diego be okay?" Sid kept asking him over and over, to which he had no good answer. Overhead, the clouds formed a cluster, escorting the sun as it set. Darkness ushered upon the motley group ministering to their dying friend. Fate would never let them know if their sacrifices were worthwhile.

In time, Sid and Pinky fell asleep on top of their tiger friend. Manny resolved that he would stay awake to keep watch and check on Diego, but the stresses of the day wore him down. He surrendered to sleep, fighting against it. _Diego needs me! I can't sleep!_

Grey morning light pierced his eyelids. Manny groaned as he awakened, taking in the soft grey hues of the light at dawn. He realised that they were behind on their schedule, but also that he didn't regret staying the night with Diego.

He looked down at the tiger – Diego's head was still resting on his left foreleg – but there was still no sign of life from the tiger. The morning light fell upon his motionless face.

Manny noticed that he looked as though he was asleep. But there was a sort of peacefulness in his expression that Manny hadn't seen in it before.

Manny looked forward, looked down again, before staring ahead. He wasn't aware that his trunk was tracing the outline of Diego's cold body, in one last attempt to urge his friend awake.

He blinked away tears as he gathered Pinky into his trunk, placing him behind his topknot again in the small of his neck. He glanced at Sid, who looked as despondent as he felt.

His legs were stuck in the tar of his pain; it hurt like hell to move, but he knew that he had to. Pinky's return to his father and his herd had to happen.

He had to do it for Diego's sake. He refused to let the tiger's sacrifice for them all be in vain. He found himself missing Diego already. He wished he could hear Diego's banter or see his crooked smile again. Manny blinked away tears.

Manny led them out of Half Peak, glancing back to see if Diego was following them sometimes, but he was always disappointed.

His grief was too deep that words – his own words – couldn't ease the pain. He was grateful that Sid was content to prattle, almost to himself, about what he liked best about the tiger. Sid was young, more able to rebound from grief, but Manny was not.

His pain was now not only one loss, but two. First, he'd lost a mate and a son who he'd loved more than life itself.

And now, he'd lost another, and it was someone who he'd come to regard as a friend. He wasn't even sure how to articulate _what_ Diego was to him, and then the answer came to him like a lightning bolt. He almost stopped short, stricken by the revelation, but forced himself to keep walking.

Diego is like a brother to me, he decided, my brother.

He swept Pinky into his trunk, his eyes glimmering with tears as he looked at the child, who smiled up at him.

"Because of you, I have two brothers now," he whispered. "And one of my brothers, Diego, he gave his life for us…"

Pinky saw his face crumble, wrapping his arms around his trunk until his sobs quieted. After a moment, Pinky cooed. He covered his face in the "where's the baby" game. Manny emitted a strange noise that was a mixture of a laugh and a sob.

"He meant a lot to me… Diego did," Manny murmured. Images of Diego's still body lying at his feet collided with memories of blood and watching his family die in front of him, helpless to do anything.

His eyes misted over with tears that he didn't bother to try blinking away; too lost in the miasma of his grief. He'd never expected Diego to _die_ \- in the midst of their plans for the infiltration of Soto's pack the idea had never come up.

Manny regretted his failure to recognise how Diego's plan implied that he'd die for the mammoth, the baby, and the sloth, _if it came to it_. The revelation awakened a new wave of emotion.

This loss was too much. It reopened the still fresh wound of his family's deaths. He'd just grown close to Diego… it was too much to bear, all of it.

He hugged Pinky close to him. He hoped that the child would always remember the tiger who'd proven himself a true friend.

Because he was, despite a few misgivings in the beginning and making a few huge selfish mistakes along the way, but what mattered was that they'd all forgiven Diego. He was one of them now, a member of their herd. It hurt that he didn't live to see it.

Manny knew that he always would remember Diego. Diego was more than just his unlikely friend. Diego, to him, was the brother that he had always longed for but had never had, even if it took him too late to realise it.

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